By: Reynolds H.B. No. 46

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the registration of voters at a polling place and related procedures.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 12, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 12.007 to read as follows:

Sec. 12.007. CERTAIN ELECTION OFFICERS ARE VOTER REGISTRARS. An election officer serving a polling place for early voting by personal appearance is a deputy voter registrar and has the same authority as a regular deputy registrar.

SECTION 2. Chapter 62, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 62.0015 to read as follows:

Sec. 62.0015. VOTER REGISTRARS MUST BE PRESENT. Two voter registrars must be present at each polling place while the polls are open.

SECTION 3. Chapter 63, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 63.010 to read as follows:

Sec. 63.010. REGISTRATION AT POLLING PLACE. (a) A person who would be eligible to vote in an election under Section 11.001, but for the requirement to be a registered voter, shall be accepted during voting by personal appearance for voting the ballot for the precinct of the person's residence as shown by the identification presented if, on the day the person offers to vote, the person:

(1) submits a voter registration application that complies with Section 13.002 to an election officer at the polling place; and

(2) presents as proof of residence a form of photo identification described by Section 63.0101(a) that states the person's current address.

(b) The election officer shall return the original proof of residence to the voter.

(c) A person voting under this section shall vote a provisional ballot in the manner provided by Section 63.011 except that the person is not required to submit the affidavit under Section 63.011(a).

(d) For each registration corresponding to a ballot cast under this section, the voter registrar shall review the application and determine whether the applicant is eligible for registration as provided by Subchapter C, Chapter 13. A registration approved under this subsection takes effect on the date the vote was cast.

(e) The secretary of state may by rule:

(1) designate additional documents that a person may offer to prove the person's residence to register and vote under this section; and

(2) prescribe procedures to implement this section.

SECTION 4. Section 65.051(a), Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The early voting ballot board shall verify and count provisional ballots as provided by this subchapter not later than the 10th [ninth] day after the date of an election.

SECTION 5. Section 67.003(b), Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) Each [Except as provided by Subsection (c), each] local canvassing authority shall convene to conduct the local canvass at the time set by the canvassing authority's presiding officer not later than the 14th [11th] day after election day and not earlier than the later of:

(1) the third day after election day;

(2) the date on which the early voting ballot board has verified and counted all provisional ballots, if a provisional ballot has been cast in the election; or

(3) the date on which all timely received ballots cast from addresses outside of the United States are counted, if a ballot to be voted by mail in the election was provided to a person outside of the United States.

SECTION 6. Section 85.031(a), Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) For each person entitled to vote an early voting ballot by personal appearance or entitled to register at a polling place, the early voting clerk shall follow the procedure for accepting or registering a regular voter on election day, with the modifications necessary for the conduct of early voting.

SECTION 7. Section 67.003(c), Election Code, is repealed.

SECTION 8. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session.